Str8HipHip

INTERVIEW AUDIO: 1. The Clipse Present Re-Up Gang - My Life’s The Shit 2. Re-Up Gang ft. Joss Stone - Celebrate

Interview By Kevin "Kayda" Luz (http://www.str8hiphop.com/user/54978)

SHH: Ya boy Kayda from SHH we in DC with them VA The boys The Clipse and Ab-Liva from the Re-up Gang (Sandman not available). We gonna get in to some questions about your new album, label, mixtape series, and find out what's been going on with ya'll.

The Clipse (Malice): Basically, We just wrapped up The Mixtape series with Re-Up Gang Vol. 1-3 and planning to drop the album version of that series on Koch Records. We just giving the fans that street oriented, hardcore hip hop - period. Right now we're working on Till The Casket Drops which is The Clipse third album scheduled to drop in January 2009.

SHH: With the new album, what label is that dropping under? And this would be a solo Clipse album, the follow up to Hell Hath No Fury.

The Clipse (Malice): The Clipse album is on Columbia Records, where we just signed a 50/50 joint-venture split. Re-up Gang Records/ Columbia.

SHH: Word, Congrats. First, I'm a fan so what's been the reason for your recent absence from the game, atleast commercially? I've heard a few stories, you pushed the last album back for some reason, etc... Can you explain what was going on?

The Clipse (Malice): Well we got caught in little label drama over at Jive, by now everyone knows the story but Jive records and Star Trak had some differences and through that we were able to build Re-Up Gang Records so in every cloud there is a silver lining. Things are much better now, that's all spilled milk, water under the bridge ya know.

SHH: Sounds like it's the way it's supposed to be. So, I notice you guys are minus 1, Sandman isn't available tonight but Ab-Liva what's been going on with your career and how did you end up here? I first heard you on the Clones / Star Trak imprint, am I correct?

The Re-Up Gang (Ab-Liva): Yeah, I first started out with the group Major Figgas, out of Philly. My man/ co-member Gillie the kid was working with Pharrell Williams back in 1999 so I took a trip out to VA with him and met the Neptunes and The Clipse . Two years later, they called me up to get on Lord Willin' and we did "Cot Damn" for the "Clones" album as well. I've been with them ever since, and now we have the Re-Up Gang mixtape series along with the forthcoming Re-Up Gang album with Koch.

The Clipse (Pusha- T): It's Lord Willing Everything, put that on Everything.

SHH: So AB, are you a signed artist now? To what label? And if so, can we expect a solo project in the future?

The Re-Up Gang (Ab-Liva): Yes, I am a signed artist to Re-Up Gang records, and ya'll can definitely expect to see a solo project soon. I'm actually working on a solo project now and it's slated to drop not long after the next Clipse project drops.

SHH: So, back to ya'll (The Clipse) I know you get it all the time but your names do pop up in the same sentence as The neptunes/ Star Trak, so what's going on with your relationship with them? Are you still down? Care to explain?

The Clipse (Malice): You know that's fam, Star Trak is always around, they close by at all times. The Neptunes sound is always close by. We dropping the new album Till the Casket Drops go get that and everything is all good.

SHH: You boys said you were pressed for time due to a performance in DC tonight so we gonna wrap it up, Thank ya'll for checking in with Str8hiphop.com  It's ya boy Kayda with The Clipse/ Re-Up gang signing out.

The Clipse/ Ab Liva:  Peace, go get that Re-Up gang album in stores soon, new single "Fastlife" produced by Scott Storch.